Editing in an unpaved episode

[spaztek]

My children watch SSU daily (episodes that I have recorded over the past couple of years from Noggin) since I am disappointed with the "New" Sesame format of today. My husband and I obviously enjoy watching as well, particularly the 1969-1982 episodes that we grew up with.....we are wondering about a clip with some anything muppets that is featured in what I think is a first-season episode. The number sponsored on this episode is #10, and I beleive it's the one where Mr. Hooper invents that magic '10' machine....anyhoo, this clip with the anything muppets is all about "everyone likes ice-cream" and so forth, with each AM singing about their different preferences, I beleive they are 2 brothers and a sister. There is a part in this clip that has obviously been edited out, at the point where the soft-spoken brother says he likes to go to the park and watch the birdies in the trees, the other brother makes what appears to be a rude comment, but the sound is edited at that very moment. Anyone here aware of what it was that was bleeped out?? Kind of an obscure question, I know, but It's worth a shot and I always wonder about that scene.

[jeffkjoe]

Originally Posted by spaztek

Anyone here aware of what it was that was bleeped out?? Kind of an obscure question, I know, but It's worth a shot and I always wonder about that scene.

I know exactly which skit you're talking about.

It's from a 1969 episode, and I remember it because the dark purplish Anything Muppet boy has, what would eventually become, Big Bird's standard voice. (kinda feminine, boyish).....Carroll Spinney obviously supplies his vocals.

It's funny, b/c in that same episode, Big Bird still talks like a dumb yokel, and this A.M. character has stolen B.B.'s voice!!!


But to answer your question, I'll have to review the episode to see what sound seems to have been edited out. To me, it must have not made that much of an impression on me on past viewings, otherwise, I would have known what edit to which you're referring.

[Astro4004]

Originally Posted by spaztek

Kind of an obscure question, I know, but It's worth a shot and I always wonder about that scene.

Ooh, I know, I know!

He calls him a "sissy," or something to that effect.

[GeeBee]

Originally Posted by spaztek

My children watch SSU daily (episodes that I have recorded over the past couple of years from Noggin) since I am disappointed with the "New" Sesame format of today. My husband and I obviously enjoy watching as well, particularly the 1969-1982 episodes that we grew up with.....we are wondering about a clip with some anything muppets that is featured in what I think is a first-season episode. The number sponsored on this episode is #10, and I beleive it's the one where Mr. Hooper invents that magic '10' machine....anyhoo, this clip with the anything muppets is all about "everyone likes ice-cream" and so forth, with each AM singing about their different preferences, I beleive they are 2 brothers and a sister. There is a part in this clip that has obviously been edited out, at the point where the soft-spoken brother says he likes to go to the park and watch the birdies in the trees, the other brother makes what appears to be a rude comment, but the sound is edited at that very moment. Anyone here aware of what it was that was bleeped out?? Kind of an obscure question, I know, but It's worth a shot and I always wonder about that scene.

The line that was bleeped out is "Sissy".

[spaztek]

Originally Posted by GeeBee

The line that was bleeped out is "Sissy".

I assumed it was something of that nature, but since I can't read the puppets' lips it was tough to tell! I do find it strange, however, that they would take care to edit something like that and leave SO many other things that would fall into the realm of politically incorrect. One that comes to mind is the cartoon segment narrated by a woman whose voice I vaguely recognize, about a "little brown boy" going to take a bath. That line would never fly today!

Thanks for your replies.

[Splurge]

Originally Posted by spaztek

I assumed it was something of that nature, but since I can't read the puppets' lips it was tough to tell! I do find it strange, however, that they would take care to edit something like that and leave SO many other things that would fall into the realm of politically incorrect. One that comes to mind is the cartoon segment narrated by a woman whose voice I vaguely recognize, about a "little brown boy" going to take a bath. That line would never fly today!

Thanks for your replies.

How about Brian Henson in the #10 film, not too long before this ice cream segment: "10 Little Indians"? If memory serves me right, that part of Henson's #10 Baker Film was replaced by something else later, because I would have remembered "little Indians" being said.

[spaztek]

Originally Posted by Splurge

How about Brian Henson in the #10 film, not too long before this ice cream segment: "10 Little Indians"? If memory serves me right, that part of Henson's #10 Baker Film was replaced by something else later, because I would have remembered "little Indians" being said.

Oh yeah, that one never stood out to me, but now that you mention it....there's also a segment somewhere on one of the 1969 or 1970 season with Cookie Monster and Ernie, where Cookie ends up erasing whatever it is Ernie is trying to draw, and upon being fed up with him Ernie yells that he is a STUPID monster! Also what's funny to me is that the animation segments are very racially stereotypical, like the one with the "loaf of bread, container of milk, and a stick of butter", and the other with the woman who looks under the hood of her VW bug and realizes that she has a letter R in her purse, which is just the thing the car needs to get it going.

In episode #1, it's funny also to see Susan referring to all the women on the street as "pretty ladies"! How different the show is today....

[Astro4004]

Originally Posted by spaztek

Also what's funny to me is that the animation segments are very racially stereotypical, like the one with the "loaf of bread, container of milk, and a stick of butter", and the other with the woman who looks under the hood of her VW bug and realizes that she has a letter R in her purse, which is just the thing the car needs to get it going.

I believe both of those animations were done by African American animators. I don't recall anything overtly stereotypical about "stick of butter" but I do remember the main character of "R Car" having a very short skirt!

At the time, these clips were probably considered progressive just for the mere fact that they featured everyday depictions of black people. Even though they may seem dated and un-p.c. now, they were important milestones/ stepping stones. What's considered brash and stereotypical today was probably more radical and empowering in the early Seventies.

[Janice & Mokey's Man]

Cool, I totally forgot about that car that needed the "R" one---I liked 'at 'un too.

[GeeBee]

Originally Posted by Astro4004

I believe both of those animations were done by African American animators. I don't recall anything overtly stereotypical about "stick of butter" but I do remember the main character of "R Car" having a very short skirt!

At the time, these clips were probably considered progressive just for the mere fact that they featured everyday depictions of black people. Even though they may seem dated and un-p.c. now, they were important milestones/ stepping stones. What's considered brash and stereotypical today was probably more radical and empowering in the early Seventies.

That's how a delightful and witty character like Roosevelt Franklin gets replaced with a dull and boring character like Kingston Livingston III (With apologies to Kingston fans).

I never thought of either one of those cartoons as being racist or stereotypical. I think the "stick of butter" just stood out as having a wild and free handed drawing style. I have no idea how the "R Car" was supposed to be stereotypical.

I think a lot of people today make the mistake of thinking that any old cartoon or comedy with non-White characters in it was automatically racist. Granted, a lot of accepted humor in the past was racist and even mean spirited. One need look no further than the old theatrical cartoons to see that. But, I fail to see where anything on Sesame Street fell into this category.

[Smy Guiley]

Originally Posted by GeeBee

I never thought of either one of those cartoons as being racist or stereotypical. I think the "stick of butter" just stood out as having a wild and free handed drawing style.

I think it's the cute little girl's heavily urban accent that's throwing everyone off. "A loaf a-brade, a containuh a-milk, and a sticka-budda." I think it's very cute and sometimes say it in the grocery store! For the other nine-tenths PLUS of North America watching this that DON'T live on the east coast, it stuck out like a sore thumb, but everyone in every part of the country has some sort of accent. This one, IMHO, fits the skit perfectly, as it's supposed to have been aimed originally, I believe, at inner-city kids, and this just portrayed a young kid trying to remember her mom's instructions at the corner store and HELPING OUT! A good lesson in any decade.